Cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes are a leading cause of death worldwide. One key factor that is linked to these diseases is called endothelial dysfunction – when the inner lining of our blood vessels (the endothelium) doesn’t function properly, which can lead to these cardiovascular issues. Here’s why: This lining acts like a traffic controller, keeping blood pressure in check and preventing blood clots. One way it does this is by producing a molecule called nitric oxide (NO). But sometimes, the production of NO goes down. This lack of production is endothelial dysfunction.
So, nitric oxide is a tiny molecule with a big job – it does 3 important things:
- Keeps everything flowing: NO helps relax and widen blood vessels, preventing them from getting too narrow and causing high blood pressure.
- Prevents issues: NO helps keep blood platelets from sticking together too much, which can lead to serious blood clots.
- Maintain healthy blood vessels: NO helps keep the smooth muscle cells lining in the vessels from overgrowth, which can also cause problems.
In essence, nitric oxide keeps our vessels healthy and flexible. Here’s where things get interesting, curcumin—the primary active compound in the spice turmeric—has been shown to increase nitric oxide availability in the body and positively impact the NO signaling pathways, giving curcumin heart-protective properties.
Cardiovascular diseases are often age-related, with endothelial dysfunction and reduced NO levels being key indicators of vascular aging. The good news is that curcumin may be a natural way to help with this age-related impairment of blood vessels, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease as we age. Beyond its effects on NO, curcumin also has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cell death properties – all of which contribute to better cardiovascular health by reducing chronic inflammation and oxidative stress that damage vessels over time.
Here at PUR-FORM, we’re on the leading edge of these concepts. We are one of the few facilities that offers intravenous curcumin to patients. Furthermore, we are only one of a handful of facilities worldwide that can offer photoactivated (by blue light) intravenous curcumin.
Regarding Nitric Oxide, we have a few methods to increase it. These include some of our modalities (special treatments) such as:
- Advanced Therapies: Hyperbaric Oxygen, EBO2, Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy, and others will dramatically increase NO production.
- Supplements: SuperBeets and Neo-40 (from HumanN) may help increase NO levels.
Please note, while current evidence suggests that taking curcumin supplements may be a safe and beneficial way to promote healthy cardiovascular system aging by restoring optimal NO levels and signaling, more research is still needed.
As mentioned previously, curcumin might help increase your Nitric Oxide (NO) levels. Some researchers even propose that this increase in NO may potentially activate stem cells from bone marrow, which could further enhance repair and regeneration. So, adding turmeric or curcumin supplements to your daily routine, alongside other heart-healthy practices, may be the natural boost your cardiovascular system needs to keep pumping strong as you age. But, don’t forget to treat your body occasionally and partake in some of our modalities.
Here is an article I came across regarding this topic:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1089860323001167
